31st December 2013 - Rainham Marshes

On the 31st it was off to Rainham Marshes to try to see the White-fronted Goose to make my 2013 list up to 200.  Of course, when we got there they had buggered off.  Great.  

Stock Dove

I liked these two friends

A run round the reserve to find *anything* I had missed that year proved fruitless and a search along the river gave a lovely Scandinavian Rock Pipit - useful if I was counting subspecies, but alas, not to my year list.  However, I did manage to ID  a Stock Dove for the first time and there were a small row of Snipe - adorable.  Just before we left the first hide, I spotted a Pintail which provided some hilarious photos.  

Pintail

Pintail, what are you doing?

I have to admit, I did go out of my way on the way home from a New Year's Eve meal to go to Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens to hopefully spot a Tawny Owl as that hadn't made it onto my 2013 list.  There were none to be seen or heard.  Of course.  

Rock Pipit

Trip list: 19
Year list: 199 (grrrrr!)
Lifers of year list: 33